Type-writing machine



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. F. BURNS.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE. N0. 409.914. Patented Aug. 27, 1889.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets--Sheet 2.

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i TYPE WRITING MAGHINB. No. 409,914. Patented Aug. 27, 1889.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. F. BURNS.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE. No. 409,914. Patented Aug. 27, 1889.

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E N I H .G SA NM RG um Bm .R F.W E D... Y T d d 0 M 0 m No. 409,914. Patented Aug. 27, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

FRANK BURNS, OF VESTFIELD, NET YORK.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 409,914, dated August 27, 1889. Application filed April 9, 188 9. Serial No. 306,512. (No model.)

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Be it known that I, FRANK BURNS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Westfield, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-Vriting Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in type-writers; and it consists in certain novel elements and combinations, hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figu re l is an end elevation of a machine made according to my invention, showing the impression-cylinder in its normal position. Fig. 2 is also an end elevation of the cylinder-carriage with the impression-cylinder in a raised and turned position to bring the writing into view. Fig. 3 is a front elevation showing the upper part of the machine with the impression-cylinder in normal position. Fig. i is a plan or top view of the cylinder-carriage and cylinder. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the same, theimpressioncylinder being' raised and turned to show the writing. Fig-6 is a rear elevation of the upper part of the machine, showing the means of securing and swiveling the carriage to the rear track or rail. Fig. 7 is a plan of the inking-ribbon carrier and the mechanism for operating and reversing the movement of the same. Fig. S is a section through the typebar ring and centering-plate, showing also the type-bars in elevation. Figs. 9, I0, and l0a are views showing modified forms of the mechanism for raising and turning the impression-cylinder. Fig. 1l is an elevation of a segment of a key-bar and its spring; and Fig. l2 is an elevation, plan, and section of the type shank or socket and type, respect` ively.

A is the frame-work of the machine, upon which the principal operating parts are mounted, and A is the top plate of the malchine, above which the impression-cylinder or platen and its connections are mounted.

B B are key-bars pivoted in the rear of the frame in the usual way, as shown. These key-bars are made of thin plates or bars of steel and have formed integral with them the key-bar springs l) l). The bars are preferably punched from plate steel of the width desired for the bars, the rear ends being reduced in width and under heat given a quartenturn to produce the spring parts. By reason of this construction a uniform character of spring is economically produced and the necessity of separate attachments for said spring to the frame is avoided. These springs bear against ahorizontal bar a, adjustable by means of set-screws to regulate the tension on said springs. The bar a is by preference notched to receive the springs, and thus keep the key-bars properly spaced. The keybars are coupled with the type-bars h by the usual pitinen b2.

The type-bars are provided with slots or with pivot-holes h3, somewhat larger than their pivots, to prevent binding and permit of perfectly free movement under all circumstances of warping of the type-bar ring O or from the slight variations incident to the manufacture of large numbers of parts by machinery. Obviously the same function would be secured by having enlarged bearing-sockets in the ring or support for trunnions or journals connected te the type-bars. These typebars are made of thin steel plate or bars, which are given aquarter-twist near their eX- tremities to provide a flat or relatively-broad surface Vfor the attachment of the type. The type or printing surfaces are provided with cylindre conoidal Shanks or sockets b", or shanks of otherequivalent form, which taper from parallel sides toward the printing-surface.

O is the type bar ring, in this instance shown of considerable depth and of conoidal form, so that the interior walls may serve as a stop and rest or supportfor the outer extremity of the type-bars when they come to a state of rest. The inside of the ring is cushioned with a band of suitable material to prevent the type-bars from hammering and rebounding, as shown at a.

C is the spacing-yoke, havinga forwardlyprojecting plate or bar O2 for operating it independently, and having a transverse bar across the path of movement of the key-bars. This spacing-yoke O is operated in one direction by hand through a key-bar or the plate C2, and in the reverse direction by a spring O3. The yoke is connected by pitman c with ratchet c', connected with the shaft of the letter-spacing cylinder; also, by pitman c2 with IUO merging into parallel sides, and the base of the shank or a cross-section at the beginning of the untapered portion corresponds in shape and dimensions with and closely tits in the guide-hole e. In operation the tapering shank or socket passes freely into the perforation e in the plate E, and guides the type to the same pointl at all times, notwithstanding the pivotjoints of the bars may be free and loose, and this operation is performed with greater case and freedom from the fact that such joints .are provided with some play.

It is observed that there is no tendency to upset or bruise the printing-surface of the type when its shank is tapered and used in connection with either a tapering or cylindrical centering hole, whereas there is some tendency to do so when the upper outer edge of the type is permitted to hammer against the inclined sides of a tapering centering hole. It is further observed that the cylindrical part of the shank reaches the sides of the cylindrical hole just as the surface of the type reaches the plane of the upper face of the centering-plate, and thus insures perfect registry before the type can reach the surface of the paper.

F is a rotary shaft intermittently operated by the spacing-yoke through ratchet c3. This shaft is provided with devices for intergearing with transverse shafts G G. The transverse shafts are mounted in the frame so as to have a slight reciprocating motion in their bearings and they carry spools for reeling on and off, step by step, an inking-ribbon. (Not shown.)

G isa spring-lever pivoted in the frame and provided with a detent and spring-stop to engage in suitable notches g g, and connected with the shafts, as shown, to throw one or the other of the shafts G into gear with the shaft F. By shifting the connection between shafts G G and F the movement of the inking-ribbon is reversed.

H is the signal-bell, and 7L is the bell-hammer, both mounted in the top plate, as shown. The bell-hammer is hung on a flexible arm or spiral spring, so that when it is tripped it will strike the bell and then come to rest just out of contact with the bell.

Abovethe top plate are supported on suitable studs or pillars the tracks or ways I I',

upon which the cylinder-carriage is mounted and traversed.

K is the cylinder-carriage, mounted on trucks or grooved rollers 7c 7c, adapted to the rods or round tracks II. The rollers are arranged to grasp the rear track, as shown in Figs. l, 2, and (i, so as to hold the carriage in position on the tra-ck and permit it to be traversed and swiveled without further connections. The carriage is provided with risers K K', provided with ordinary key-hole slots K2 K2, one part being circular and the lower part having straight sides, as shown in Figs. l and 2.

M is the impression-cylinder or platen, having its journals or arbors hung in movable boxes m m, which normally fit and rest in the neck of the slots K2 K2. The ends of these boxes are in segments of circles which tit in the circular pari of the slots.

A yoke N is pivoted to risers from the carriage, and is connected by links n n with the lower edge of the boxes m m. By this combination of devices t-he depression of the yoke first raises the cylinder or platen from its normal plane, as shown in Fig. l., and then swings or turns it, together with the attached paperholder, to the position shown. in Figs. 2 and 5, so that the operator may inspect the writing. The paper-pressure roller of the paper-holder being at the rear lower side of the cylinder makes it necessary to elevate the cylinder before it can be rotated to expose the writing. Furthermore, the elevation and rotation brings the work to a better position for inspection than it would be if the cylinder or platen were merely rotated enough to bring the writing in front of it.

To give an impulse or start the return movement of the cylinder after it has been raised and rotated, I employ a light spring n between a fixed part of the frame or machine and the movable cylinder. The paper-holder and its pressure-roller may be of any ordinary or approved construction. I have, however, in the present instance shown the fingerholder and pressure-roller supported by bent or angular arms or bars n2, attached to thc movable boxes m m, the pressure-roller being held under tension against the cylinder bythe springs n3 n3.

To make the feeding of the paper positive and to avoid possible backward movement of the pressure-roller upon the return of the cylinder from its raised to its normal position, I prefer to gear the cylinder and roller together, as shown in Fig. 4.

The feeding forward step by step of the cylinder for line-spacing is accomplished by a hand-lever O, pvoted to the carriage and to the reciprocating bar O. The bar O carries a detent or pawl O2, which intergears with the usual ratchet O3 upon the shaft of the cylinder. The bar is normally held in its rearward position by means of a spring O By raising the operating hand-lever O the recip- IOO rocating bar and its pawl are driven forward, therebyturning the cylinder and moving the paper forward. The hand-lever also carries an arm P, having a backwardly-projecting stud p, which meshes with the spiral grooves of letter-spacing cylinderl), thus causing the cylinder-carriage, with its mou ntin gs, to move step by step from right to left as the keys or the spacing-yoke are operated. Normally the carriage' is locked down to its tracks by means of a catch or screw-stop fr, the provision for raising and swinging the impression-cylinder on its carriage serving the usual purpose of raising the carriage and all its attachments; but for cleaning the type and other purposes requiring the exposure of the type-bar ring the stop o" is removed, when the carriage is swiveled or swung back out of the way.

Attached to the front rail of the carriage is a stop S, adjustable to the right or left in slot S. This stop moves in the path of an upward projection from the top plate, and serves to limit the movement of the carriage to the right. S2 is an attachment of the carriage, also adjustable in a slot. This attachment carries a pendant free to swing in one direction, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, and being in the path of the upper arm of the bell-hammer serves to trip the bell in its movement toward the left, while it rides freely over said arm when moving to the right.

In Figs. 9 and l0 I have shown mechanical movements which permit of raising and swinging the impressioli-cylinder, which for the purposes of my invention in type-writers are the equivalent of that shown in Figs. l and 2, and hereinbefore described.

In Fig. 9, u is a cylindrical part provided with a notch or slot in one side, and u is a vertically-reciprocating box adapted to iit in the slot of u. The arbor of the cylinder is mounted in the part u, `and in operation is first raised with the box into the slot and then turned around.

In Fig. l0 the shaft or arbor of the cylinder is mounted in the bottom of a circular box, and in Fig. l0 it is mounted in a box adj usted in a curved slot. In t-hese forms the link and yoke are so connected that in operation the axis of the cylinder is moved from its lowest plane in the arc of a circle upward to the position shown in dotted lines in said figure.

Obviously, other mechanica-l movements may be devised or adopted and used in connection with a platen to raise and swing the same without departing from my invention, and this may be done simultaneously or successively.

In Fig. l2 I have shown in side elevation, in plan, and in section a type socket or shank of the form best adapted to operate in combination with a centering-plate liavinga guidehole.

I am aware that typewshanks have been proposed having converging faces on two sides,

and that a perforated plate for bringing the type Ato a given point-opposite an impression cylinder has also been proposed. I do not, therefore, claim either of these devices, broad- 7c ly. I am not aware, however, that there has been combined with a perforated guide-plate of the character shown a type shank or socket tapering all the way around the same, such as I have described.

Having now described my invention, what I claim isl. The combination, in a typewriter, of a tapering' type socket or shank and a member provided with a guide-hole corresponding in shape and dimensions with the base of the type-shank, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a type for type-writers, having a cylindre-colloidal shank or socket, and a centering-plate having a cylindrical guide-hole, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a type-Writer, of a loosely-mounted type-bar, a type having a tapering shank, as described, and a perforated centeringplate, substantially as described.

4. A key-lever and key-lever spring formed integral with each other of thin spring-metal plate, having the flat surface of the spring part at right angles with the flat surface of the lever part, substantially as described.

5. In a type-writer, the combination of a round rear track, a cylinder-carriage, and grooved rollers connected with the carriage and elnbracing the round track, substantially as described.

6. rlhe combination, in a typewriter, of an intermittently-driven shaft carrying intergearing devices, a pair of spool-carrying shafts mounted to reciprocate in the direction of their length, a vibrating lever connected with the spool-carrying shafts, and a spring-stop whereby the inking-ribbon is mounted and operated step by step and reversed, substantially as described.

7. The combination, in a type-writer, of a carriage, a platen mounted in movable boxes, and a yoke or lever pivoted to the carriage, iiexibly connected with the platen, and extending to the front of the machine to a point for conveniently raising and turning said platen, and thereby brin ging the work to view, substantially as described.

8. The combination, in a type-writer, of a carriage having risers provided with key` hole slots, movable boxes fitted to recipro- 12o cate and rotate in said slots, an impressioncylinder mounted in the boxes, and a yoke connected with said boxes for raising and swinging the cylinder to bring the writing into view, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK BURNS.

IOO

IIO

Ti tne'sses:

WM. M. SrocKBRIDcE, ARTHUR CRANsToN. 

